


Scared of the Stars

by Meynara



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Voltron Rarepair Flash Bang 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-25 22:32:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16207010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meynara/pseuds/Meynara
Summary: When the team finally got some downtime after the loss of the Castle of Lions, Hunk reflects on the changes in his life -- and in his relationship with Keith and Shiro, not knowing whether or not that relationship would still be intact after the reveal of the Shiro he had dated (had LOVED) was in fact a clone and not the REAL Shiro.





	Scared of the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Voltron Rarepair Flash Bang](https://voltronrarepairflashbang.tumblr.com/) over on tumblr.
> 
> Beta read by [lysanatt.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysanatt/pseuds/lysanatt)
> 
> Art by [fratboyshiro.](https://fratboyshiro.tumblr.com/post/178780425225/this-is-my-piece-for-the-voltronrarepairflashbang)

With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Hunk had to turn and walk out of the Black Lion. Moving away from his fellow Paladins, from the scene that was happening as Shiro woke, having to fight to be able to even  _ stay  _ in his new body. He felt he  **should** be  _ happy  _ for Shiro -- happy they even  **had** Shiro after everything else that had happened, given he had died and none of them had known. Not Keith, nor the rest of the team, which in and of itself wasn’t a great thing at all, because they’d been working with someone else, someone who thought he  _ was  _ Shiro, but... **wasn’t** .

And given how things had been going until that had been revealed, Hunk was filled with conflicting emotions: sorrow for the man who had died, maybe not even  _ realizing  _ he had been a clone the entire time. Anger at those who had decided to make said clone (and many others) in the first place. Muted joy for Shiro, for Keith, that they still had one another.

….and last, but certainly not least, regret. Regret that he had fallen for the two of them, had confessed such to Keith, to the clone of Shiro, that they had shared memories and affections and so much of themselves...only for it to all be less than nothing now. That had never been Shiro -- which made sense, in a twisted sort of way, because Shiro would never want anything to do with Hunk. Talented he might be, but he never lied to himself. Never told himself that he was any better than he was; a man like Takashi Shirogane -- the shining star of the Galaxy Garrison, the once decisive Head of Voltron and Black Paladin -- deserved only the best.

The best being one Keith Kogane, with a fiery temper when riled, a passionate nature when it came to things he loved (and people), skilled in combat and out of it; as gorgeous as the fabled Helen of Troy, not Hunk Garrett, scaredy cat extraordinaire, passionate about food with a body to match; looking more like Quasimodo than anything that would be sculpted by renaissance artists.

Boots dragging against the ground, he looked around now that he was outside. Given the things they’d already seen on the planet (asteroid? Whatever it was) he wasn’t going to wander far, but he needed a little bit of space, a bit of breathing room. If nothing else, he could give Shiro and Keith that much. Lance and Pidge would probably go off to do something themselves; the Alteans were always getting into trouble -- and Krolia would probably give her son space.

They  _ had  _ just spent two years together. (Maybe-- Time was really weird in space.)

Turning, moving, he went to stand behind his own Lion, which cast a shadow of its own from the star they were closest to, leaving him with a space to sit in without worrying about overheating. Sliding to the ground, back against the metal, helmet resting beside him, he let himself shut his eyes trying to block out everything he was feeling.  **_Everything_ ** . There was no telling when they would need to form Voltron again; he couldn’t let himself be the reason they failed someone, the reason they couldn’t work as a team anymore. He was the Yellow Paladin, the Leg of Voltron, the one who lifted up his team and gave them all support.

He couldn’t let himself fail. He couldn’t be left unable to help his friends -- his teammates when they needed him; they  _ would  _ need him. So he had to pull himself together, to tell himself that things would never be the same. Good things weren’t meant for him, anyway.

Caught up as he was in his own emotions, he didn’t hear the crunch indicating quickly approaching footsteps -- not even when they abruptly stopped close to him. There was a moment of hesitation before someone moved to sit down beside him on the ground, carefully leaning against him, causing Hunk to open his eyes and look over at him -- at Keith, Keith who was still Keith but also so very different than he had been before.

What did Keith even want with him, now?

“...you okay?” The words were softly spoken, a hesitance there that Hunk wasn’t expecting, never would expect from Keith.

“Me? Oh, yeah, of course I’m okay, I’m perfectly fine, why wouldn’t I be okay?” He injected false cheer into his voice, turning his head away to rub at his eyes, chewing lightly on his lip as he noticed there was indeed moisture accumulated there.

The weight pressing against his side seemed to increase, Keith leaning further into him. “You left so suddenly; I didn’t know what else to  _ think _ , Hunk. I know I’ve been gone a while, but...not nearly as long for you as for me.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Hunk snorted, shaking his head before giving Keith a tight, obviously forced smile. “It’s okay, though. It is. Shiro’s gonna be okay;...well. I guess I never really  _ knew  _ him, did I?”

“Look, even the  **clone** didn’t know he was--”

“--whatever was going on, the man we were with  **wasn’t** Shiro; that’s just the facts, Keith. Shiro’s got  _ his  _ body now, but does he have  _ his  _ memories? We don’t know -- and honestly, why should Shiro have them? Because they’re  **not** his memories in the first place, even if we thought it  _ was  _ him, he wasn’t.” Tears began to trail down Hunk’s face even as he reached up to wipe them away angrily. “He knew you before there was an us, so it’s obvious to  _ everyone  _ what will happen now. Now it’s -- it’ll just be the two of you again. I’m not gonna intrude, I won’t stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong, just -- just let me have a moment here, where I  _ can _ , where it’s safe to break  _ down  _ and  **feel** , to not have to worry about  **_Voltron_ ** and saving the universe for one  _ minute _ , okay?”

Suddenly there was a fist slamming against his arm; it took Hunk a moment to realize that was Keith’s fist hitting him. “Or you can  _ shut up _ and  **listen** to me instead of having a pity party! Shiro’s the one who sent me to come check on you. I don’t know how much he knows, how much he remembers, but he wants to talk to you. He wants to see  **_you_ ** .”

Another tear trailed down his face as he looked at Keith in disbelief. “...he...does?” Wiping at his face once more, he quickly pushed himself up, not even waiting for Keith as he walked back towards the Black Lion. Rolling his eyes, Keith picked up Hunk’s helmet before jogging to catch up, the two entering the Lion and the room in which Shiro had been resting in almost record time.

Most of the others had indeed wandered off to do other things, but sitting inside was Shiro, having moved to a seat with his arm resting in his lap; Krolia standing nearby, the two sharing a soft conversation until the two Paladins entered the room. Giving Shiro a smile, Krolia lifted a hand in silent farewell before moving past the two, leaving the three men alone. Things might have been awkward if Keith hadn’t used a hand to push Hunk forward, moving him closer and closer to Shiro until he was standing right in front of him.

“Hunk…” Shiro let out a breath, looking up with a soft smile. “I was worried about you.” Reaching up with his hand, he moved to grab Hunk’s, gently, causing him to look up from the ground at Shiro.

“But  _ why _ ?” There was hurt and confusion in Hunk’s voice, eyes watering once more even as he tried to keep from letting tears fall, his hand holding onto Shiro’s. “You were…”

There was a soft hum before Shiro answered. “I was dead. Yes. But...my clone, I don’t remember everything, or I do? But it’s all sort of just, a jumble up here,” he jerked his head slightly. “But what I do remember, what I know of what he did...is very much exactly what I would have done. What I would do even now.”

Quietly, Keith moved until he was beside Hunk, one hand resting gently against the small of his back, the other resting on Shiro’s shoulder. “It might not be the same as it was, but that doesn’t mean it’s over completely, Hunk. We can try. Let us try, before giving up.”

Hunk felt emotions squeezing his chest, eyes watering as he took a long moment to himself, taking in a deep breath before nodding, lips pulling up into a smile. “...okay. I -- I’d like that. Even if -- even if we have to start over again.”

Tugging on Hunk’s hand, Shiro brought it up to his lips and pressed a kiss against the back of his hand, eyes alight with happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come visit me on [tumblr!](https://meythecat.tumblr.com/)


End file.
